Leadership and strategic planning
Effective leadership and strategic planning skills are the keys to success for any CIO. As more CIOs are expected to speak the language of the business and contribute to the success of the organization, leadership and strategic planning skills are essential. Find information and advice on effective leadership and strategic planning for CIOs, including news, tips and other resources, in this topic section.
Top Stories
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Tip
14 Mar 2024
Practical strategies for shadow IT management
Employees might believe that they need tools beyond the organization's scope. Learn how CIOs and their teams can properly manage shadow IT to avoid unnecessary risk. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jul 2023
Replacing vs. maintaining legacy systems
Understanding issues such as which systems hinder organizational performance can help IT leaders decide which legacy systems to replace and which to maintain. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Jan 2019
Free IT mission statement examples for CIOs
These free IT mission statement examples and how-tos can help CIOs and their IT departments identify and refine their organizational goals. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2019
5 IT trends shaping 2019 CIO strategies
Tech executives sound off on the IT trends they see shaping CIO strategies in 2019. AI and cloud loom large, but the test for CIOs is not just technical. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jan 2019
CIO role: Should a CIO manipulate information?
IT experts react to yesterday's report in the Wall Street Journal that a CIO used his private company to manipulate online polling data. What's that say about the CIO role? Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jan 2019
Ret. Gen. Stan McChrystal on what's wrong with modern leadership
Retired four-star Gen. Stan McChrystal talks about how modern leadership needs to change and what leadership means in the age of AI. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2019
Digital user experience a big CIO goal in 2019
In 2019, CIOs should expect to play a major role in delivering a top-notch digital user experience -- for customers, employees and for the sake of the company brand. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2019
Top drivers of digital transformation projects have inward focus
Our IT Priorities Survey shows that close to 70% of companies are pursuing digital transformation. Learn what metrics they're targeting and how they're spending 2019 IT budgets. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 Dec 2018
IT vs. business: Who owns the machine learning capability?
You can't have machine learning without help from IT, but the discipline is bigger than IT. Practitioners weigh in on who owns the machine learning capability. Continue Reading
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News
20 Dec 2018
2018 tech events: The year in photos
Did you hit the road in 2018 to learn about IT trends? We did. This photo roundup takes a look back at some of the notable moments from SearchCIO's tech event coverage. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2018
How to get more women leaders in tech: It's not just a numbers game
Women leaders in tech are still few and far between. The industry knows it's a problem, but fixing gender inequality in the top ranks won't be easy, according to a recent panel. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2018
How to ask questions the way great business leaders do: CFO Summit
Great business leaders are willing to endure all sorts of pain when they ask questions, says Hal Gregersen, who spoke at the MIT CFO Summit. That's how they solve problems. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Nov 2018
The role of the CIO today requires 2 key skills
Matt Minetola, CIO at Travelport, reflects on how the role of the CIO in digital transformation has rewritten the rules of IT success. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Nov 2018
How can companies build a strategy for monetizing data?
To extract value from data, most companies will face people, process and technology challenges. Matt Maccaux explains the ins and outs of monetizing data. Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2018
Enterprise AI adoption on fire, but foundation lacking for sustainable AI
McKinsey surveyed thousands of executives on their AI projects to find out what was working and what wasn't. Here's the lowdown. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Nov 2018
6 ways CIOs can make valuation of data a business driver
Gartner believes data should be on every company's balance sheet. Here are six data valuation models on how CIOs can put a price tag on their data. Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2018
How augmented intelligence can enhance jobs
Augmented intelligence -- AI used to enhance human skills -- makes workplaces more productive, diverse, inclusive and authentic. That's one future conjured at an MIT forum on AI. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Nov 2018
SODOTO (See One, Do One, Teach One)
SODOTO (See One, Do One, Teach One) is a methodology of teaching and learning skills and best practices through direct observation of a task, hands-on practical experience performing the task and teaching the task to another person. Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2018
'Radical candor' management style resonates at Harvard tech event
How to be a better boss: At Tech Conference 24, leadership guru Kim Scott shared how a stern critique from Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg led to the concept of 'radical candor.' Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Oct 2018
What can CIOs expect from ITIL 4? More leadership advice, for one
ITIL 4 is scheduled for release in early 2019. ITIL expert David Ratcliffe discusses what's different about this ITIL update and why the guidance remains vitally relevant to CIOs. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Oct 2018
How secure-by-design ITSM processes can be a business differentiator
Secure ITSM procedures are essential to digital organizations' data protection processes. They can also be a bottom line boon, says information governance expert Jeffrey Ritter. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Oct 2018
Embedded IT, global talent to define future of IT jobs
As more businesses identify as tech companies, what's the future of IT jobs? Many IT teams will work remotely on a gig-by-gig basis and their colleagues will span the globe. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Oct 2018
Improve your digital transformation plan: 3 tips from EY's Jeff Wong
EY's chief innovation officer believes a successful digital transformation plan rests on building an ecosystem of internal champions and outside experts who don't think alike. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Oct 2018
EY exec shares strategy for digital transformation in business
EY is recruiting STEM talent, offering employees courses in AI -- and more -- in its quest for a digital business model that can exploit rapid change. Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2018
Gartner Symposium 2018: Digital business models shift IT priorities
With digital business models maturing, CIOs have shifted their IT and business priorities to make digitization projects successful -- and to get other company leaders on board. Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2018
Gartner Symposium 2018: 10 culture hacks for CIOs to spur DX
Culture is a barrier to digital transformation, and it's the CIO's job to help change it, said analyst Kristin Moyer at Gartner Symposium 2018. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Oct 2018
Automation and employment debate takes a new turn
Future of work trends: Academics and industry executives shared their views on the evolution of RPA and the impact of AI on jobs at the recent UiPath Forward conference. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Oct 2018
ITSM governance essential as new tech trends drive business processes
New tech trends in AI, cloud and robotic process automation create capabilities that are reshaping ITSM. But for the innovations to reach their full potential, strong governance over ITSM processes are required. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Oct 2018
What steps can CIOs take to neutralize cloud shadow IT?
In this Ask the Expert, Gartner's Marco Meinardi explains why denying access and applying too much intermediation are not effective in neutralizing cloud shadow IT projects. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Sep 2018
IT service delivery model: CIOs pressured to reinvent the process
Tech managers are on the hook to reinvent the IT shop, but tools like user self-service, ITSM practices and the rent vs. buy option are helping effect change. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Sep 2018
5 ways ITSM automation is driving business value
Current trends in ITSM automation include the adoption of intelligent automation, ITSM as a service, digital labor, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Sep 2018
4 ITSM best practices for managing service vendors
CIOs must align IT strategy to business KPIs, and so should their service vendors. In this ITSM best practices tip, experts explain how to tie vendor services to business outcomes. Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2018
3 secret virtues of a great IT practitioner
At Gartner Catalyst, Gartner's Danny Brian explained why great IT practitioners are lazy, impatient and hubristic. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Sep 2018
4 best practices to maximize the value of your ITSM vendor
If your ITSM vendor isn't living up to expectations, chances are you're ignoring these four ITSM best practices. ISG's Lois Coatney takes you through them, step by step. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Aug 2018
Survey: IT leaders invest to improve cybersecurity, compliance
As companies outgrow dated data protection and compliance management systems, IT leaders are making an investment in cybersecurity to avoid risk and stare down regulatory mandates. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Aug 2018
Texas college CIO pushes into enterprise service management
A mature ITSM program has not only won Link Alander's IT team kudos for superb service delivery, but it is also driving automation of business processes in other departments. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Aug 2018
An ITSM program evolves from subpar to superb
How do you go from 'lousy' systems and subpar services to an ITSM program that is driving a service approach across the enterprise? CIO Link Alander gives us the details. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Aug 2018
Cybersecurity education: North Dakota preps future workforce
North Dakota's CIO is behind a cybersecurity education program that aims to get the state's students up to speed on the essentials of IT security. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Aug 2018
Building a service catalog management strategy: Where to start?
The IT service catalog is the foundation of an effective ITSM program, but it's a complicated tool and hard to get right. Here's some expert advice on how to get started. Continue Reading
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News
17 Aug 2018
Deloitte CIO survey: Traditional CIO role doesn't cut it in digital era
New findings from Deloitte show CIOs are not evolving with the times. More than half are stuck in 'trusted operator' mode, which is quickly becoming obsolete. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
16 Aug 2018
2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium: A SearchCIO guide
The 2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium was all about making good on an enterprise digital transformation strategy. Explore the strategic advice, emerging technologies and big ideas from this year’s roster of CIOs, MIT faculty and experts. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
Speed, service, solutions are CIO priorities for Arcadis IT exec
Heading into the final stretch of his first year as CIO, Justin Wright has strong ideas about how to make IT a better partner to the business. Read about his CIO priorities for people, processes and technologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
How to become a digital leader: A design company's blueprint
Arcadis CIO Justin Wright explains how IT is working in tandem with the business to make the firm a digital leader for its construction industry clients. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
Digital transformation in the construction industry will rock status quo
Arcadis CIO Justin Wright talks about digital transformation in the construction industry and what his firm is doing to protect clients from being disrupted. Continue Reading
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News
14 Aug 2018
GE rumors highlight digital culture hardship for CIOs
The rumors that GE is putting pieces of its vaunted GE Digital unit on the chopping block spread like wildfire. True or not, here's why CIOs should be taking notes. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2018
Report on Alexa-enabled devices puts spotlight on voice commerce
Not many people buy things using Amazon's Alexa-enabled devices, a new report contends. What does that say about voice commerce and how the enterprise uses voice computing technology? Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Aug 2018
social contract
A social contract is an agreement to adhere to acceptable behaviors and meet obligations in a particular environment, such as a nation, a business or a social media site. Social contracts may be explicit, as in user policies, or implicit. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2018
The nine roles you need on your data science research team
Data science research has become an essential element of modern companies' success in the digital economy. Here's how to build a data science team to get the most bang for your buck. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jul 2018
McAfee CISO: The importance of a strong cybersecurity culture
For McAfee CISO Grant Bourzikas, building a strong cyberdefense culture is essential because employees are the first line of defense to avoid rapidly evolving cybersecurity risks. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jul 2018
McAfee CISO: Leadership buy-in essential to boost cybersecurity
As online risks continue to evolve, making sure company leadership buys in to efforts to improve cybersecurity posture has become essential, says McAfee CISO Grant Bourzikas. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2018
Innovation leaders must learn to 'co-create' the future
Harvard's Linda Hill explains what makes leaders of innovation successful, starting with realizing their primary role is as stage setter, not top-down visionary. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jul 2018
CIO roles: Developing 'safe and sound' IT systems
Digital transformation is having a big influence on the evolution of the CIO role. For one CIO, responsibilities have expanded into ensuring the 'safety and soundness' of IT systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jul 2018
When running IT like a business, consider the bagel shop
Ciena Corp. CIO Craig Williams expounds on the importance of running IT like a business and how to identify the type of IT people who can execute on that strategy. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2018
Three capabilities all leaders of innovation possess
Harvard's Linda Hill tells IT execs at LiveWorx that in order to be leaders of innovation they need to champion three things. One of them is 'creative abrasion.' Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2018
CIO position: Evolve conference shows many ways to manage IT
The recent Evolve Technology Conference's Outlier Award program revealed varied takes on IT management philosophy and approaches to the CIO position. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2018
Transformational leadership needed to pursue data-driven ethos
California State University's first chief data officer talks about why transformational leadership is needed now more than ever. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Jun 2018
Putting tech ethics to work is the right thing to do
That cool new app might bring in a fortune on the market, but what are the human and social implications? The time to think about tech ethics is now. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jun 2018
Six barriers to digital transformation; CIO strategies to conquer them
CIOs are under pressure to help companies find their digital mojo, but challenges abound. Learn about the top six barriers to digital transformation -- and how to vanquish them. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2018
The future of work requires a new C-suite
CIOs, get ready for C-suite 3.0, where corporate chiefs will have to break out of their silos to future-proof the enterprise. Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2018
Recruiting talent for digital cultures: Tips from McKinsey, Korn Ferry
The C-suite's penchant for hiring in its own image prevents companies from creating a digital culture. Another barrier: assuming HR can find the right people. Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2018
MIT CIO: What is digital culture, why it's needed and how to get it
Creating a digital culture is essential in the age of information, but companies must not lose sight of their core values in the process. Two tech execs show how they're doing it. Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2018
Indeed.com releases top 10 most in-demand CIO skills
Job site Indeed.com has released a list of the most in-demand skills for today's CIOs, based on job postings. Experts I talked to said 'most in-demand' doesn't mean most valuable. Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2018
Four CIO strategies for finding the business ROI in emerging tech
IT execs from Yamaha, Union Pacific, the city of Las Vegas and UL share their CIO strategies for deriving business benefit from emerging tech. Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2018
Corporate IT rebrands its modern role: Reduce complexity
The days of corporate IT as a back-end function with its practitioners relegated to the basement are long over. But IT strategy in 2018 has its own host of challenges. Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2018
The CIO voice in the boardroom: Skills needed to get there
At a recent webinar, IT leaders discussed the factors driving the absence of a CIO voice in the boardroom and highlighted the skills they need to earn a seat at the table. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Apr 2018
How to measure usability when selecting an RPA tool
If an RPA tool isn't user-friendly and isn't built for the long term, chances are the dividends won't be immediate. Read this before choosing your RPA tools. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Apr 2018
Enterprise digitization's secret ingredient: Fusion teams
Cross-functional or 'fusion' teams are critical to meeting fast-changing digital challenges. Here are the four must-have team attributes for successful enterprise digitization. Continue Reading
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News
06 Apr 2018
Voice computing goes to work with Microsoft Teams addition of Cortana
Microsoft is integrating Cortana into its Teams collaboration platform. Will it be the baby step voice computing needs to gain traction in the enterprise? The jury is out. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Mar 2018
Box CIO talks IT innovation and pressures in an 'all-cloud' environment
Box CIO Paul Chapman discusses the demands of running IT at a company that was 'born digital' and why an 'all-cloud' environment doesn't preclude having to manage legacy IT. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Mar 2018
Digital transformation for insurance: Idaho firm opts for HCI
An Idaho-based property and casualty insurance company has swapped out its VMware infrastructure and separate storage systems for hyper-converged hardware from Scale Computing. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Mar 2018
From phishing attempt circumvention to AI, new CIO has a big job
As the new CIO at Snow Software, Alastair Pooley is taking on a range of priorities, from helping the business to recognize a phishing attempt to exploring AI for customer support. Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2018
Conversational AI: Start by enlisting the big vendors
It's time to develop a conversational AI strategy, according to Gartner analyst Svetlana Sicular. Her advice: Stay focused on the business case and lean on the AI platform vendors. Continue Reading
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Guide
27 Mar 2018
IT Priorities survey predicts 2018 IT strategy for tech pros
In TechTarget's annual IT Priorities survey, information technology professionals across industries provide a glimpse of their 2018 IT strategy plans and pet projects. Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2018
Daniel Pink: How the science of timing can boost productivity
At the recent Gartner Data and Analytics Summit, best-selling author Daniel Pink urged digital leaders to follow the science of timing -- and spread the word. Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2018
Data and analytics strategy: Lessons learned from spy agencies
Analyst Jim Hare of Gartner offers five ways to turn your company's data and analytics strategy into a competitive advantage by studying what our spy agencies do. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2018
Startup thinking: CIOs face challenges tapping entrepreneurial spirit
Startup thinking is something CIOs and their enterprises hope to incorporate, but they must consider the rigors and challenges of embracing startup culture. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Feb 2018
What is 'ground truth' in AI and deep learning?
'Ground truth' is the bedrock of AI and deep learning. Carnegie Mellon professor Tom Mitchell explains the term and its significance with an example from healthcare. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2018
Survey: Customer service chatbots aren't crowd-pleasers -- yet
A recent survey by Chatbots.org found that less than half of consumers find chatbots effective. What does that mean for CIOs trying to integrate the technology? Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Feb 2018
How to create the best RPA architecture
Enterprises are embracing robotic process automation to automate rules-based, repetitive tasks in a cost-efficient manner. ROI depends on having the right RPA architecture. Continue Reading
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News
26 Feb 2018
Cloud, app dev highlight IT budget management priorities for 2018
TechTarget's exclusive 2018 IT Priorities survey sheds some light on IT budget management plans for the data center, cloud projects and hybrid technologies. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2018
Study: CIO and CTO execs, procurement pros ID common pain points
An Insight Enterprises survey of CIO and CTO executives and procurement professionals finds agreement between IT and business operations on typical technology pain points. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jan 2018
Architecture firm taps AEC technology to drive digital strategy
Arcadis CIO Justin Wright's pioneering use of architecture, construction and engineering technology brings buildings to life -- and the firm's digital strategy up to speed. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jan 2018
IT areas of focus in 2018 include outcome-based security services, data lakes
Rahul Singh, managing director at IT outsourcing advisory Pace Harmon, dissects the 2018 trends in three important IT areas for CIOs. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
10 Jan 2018
In digital era, CEO's job is to score with tech
Lisa Pearson, chief exec at data analytics company Umbel, discusses the CEO's job -- ever-slanting toward tech -- in a time of the "superpower consumer." Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Jan 2018
CIO: Adaptability essential to modernize IT structure
Darin Morrow discusses how he achieves one of his primary goals as Cricket Wireless CIO: Ensuring the company's IT structure defines and continuously improves business processes. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jan 2018
CIO plans for AI projects in 2018 push the envelope
SearchCIO interviews with leading IT executives suggest continued strong investment in AI projects -- and an important role for CIOs in developing an enterprise-wide AI strategy. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jan 2018
CIO goals and IT resolutions for 2018
Seven CIOs plus one chief digital officer give us a glimpse of their technology plans for the new year. Continue Reading
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News
01 Jan 2018
Top IT guidance for CIOs in 2017 underscores urgency of digitization
Digital transformation and the need for speed, scale and clear communication were the big topics explored in our top 10 CIO advice columns of 2017. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Oct 2017
Hyper-converged infrastructure solutions hit the mainstream
HCI technology is expanding beyond its original niches in virtual desktop infrastructure and video storage, taking an expanded role in the corporate data center. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Oct 2017
Enterprise IT infrastructure: Outsource or upgrade for CIOs?
Intent-based networking and other emerging technologies offer new approaches to enterprise IT, but some CIOs are seeking innovation in cloud computing. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Sep 2017
How GE digital transformation won over the sales force
A major part of the GE digital transformation is getting its 25,000 salespeople on board as it rethinks its vast commercial sales function. Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Jul 2017
David vs. Goliath no more, Agile adoption is the new standard
As Agile adoption grows, companies should not be looking to specialists to support agility, says Joseph Flahiff. Make Agile coaching a standard job requirement for team managers. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jun 2017
Run a hackathon event that pays off -- and draws women
IBM Watson Health's chief scientist explains how a hackathon event can pay dividends for a company, provided it's run right. Plus, advice on how to get more women to hackathons. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Jun 2017
The future of workplace structure: Cross-functional teams, AI impact
The digital workplace, including the CIO shop, is moving toward cross-functional collaboration, greater openness to outside contributors and the uptake of artificial intelligence. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jun 2017
CIO strives to tie cloud metrics to business value
As CIOs gain experience in cloud computing, the cloud metrics they use are changing. Read how one CIO makes business value a priority in deciding which cloud services make sense. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 May 2017
Former Apple CEO discusses AI, leadership and experience marketing
Former Apple and Pepsi CEO John Sculley discusses how disruptive technologies and leadership styles are influencing industries far beyond IT. Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Mar 2017
The new products development process and IT innovation
Most people don't know what their company's business objectives are. But for IT to contribute to a successful new products development process, your team needs to know. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Mar 2017
Two IT leadership strategies that made me a successful CIO
A new way to prioritize IT activities and an epiphany about leadership made all the difference in Niel Nickolaisen's career as an IT leader. Read about these two IT leadership strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Mar 2017
Break the bottleneck with this new IT/business engagement model
CIO teams need to interact more directly with business stakeholders -- from the digital sophisticates to the digital naïfs. Here are five elements of a new business engagement model. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Mar 2017
The power of positive four-letter words to unlock employee potential
Four-letter words like can't and don't crush an employee's potential and quash creativity. Have the courage to use positive four-letter words and watch what happens. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Feb 2017
Product line management is fundamental to the new IT operating model
Digital transformation requires CIOs to rethink the way IT operates. At the center of the new IT operating model is product line management, explains CEB's Matt McWha. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
06 Feb 2017
Reporting lines for the CDO role: Context counts
The chief data officer (CDO) role may be gaining influence, but a lingering question that both public and the private sector organizations have yet to answer is: Who should CDOs report to? ... Continue Reading